President Muhammadu Buhari has deployed security chiefs in Niger state over the abduction of schoolchildren from Government Science College, Kagara in Rafi local government area of the state by suspected gunmen.
It would be recalled that some gunmen had in the early hours of Wednesday had stormed the school on Wednesday at 2am killing one student, kidnapped 27 students, three staff and 12 members of the families at Government Science College in Kagara.
In a statement, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said the president has received reports of the attack on the school”following which a yet to be ascertained number of staff and students have been abducted by gunmen”.
The statement read in part, “President Muhammadu Buhari has received reports of the brazen attack on Government Science College, Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, following which a yet to be ascertained number of staff and students have been abducted by gunmen.
“President Buhari has assured all of the support of his administration to the Armed Forces in their brave struggle against terrorism and banditry and urged them to do all that can be done to bring an end to this saga, and avoid such cowardly attacks on schools in the future.”
Meanwhile the Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, has vowed that his government would not pay any ransom to secure the release of abducted students and staff at Government Science College in Kangara.
Governor Abubakar, however, ordered the closure of all boarding schools in the bandits’ ravaged area of the state. He said the action is necessary to save the life of the students as the areas have already been taken over by bandits.
Also, 40 passengers from Kontagora to Minna were abducted by suspected gunmen on February 14.